Web3 games compose an essential component of the blockchain ecosystem. We’ve already explored them to see that they offer direct player ownership of their in-game assets, and as such, they can be used as Play-to-Earn games. Here, we’ll explore how players can earn crypto playing games and the potential risks and drawbacks of these activities. GetBlock offers robust infrastructure for all Web3 projects, so as always, we continue to explore emerging crypto markets. 

Spoiler: No, you usually cannot earn yourself for a living while playing the game. Earnings are real, but not quite small and unstable, so it’s much better to view them as a nice addition to your primary income, especially since you earn them while playing. Let’s start exploring!

Summary

Here is the list of the most popular and reliable Play-to-Earn games that can be used as an introduction to this type of game. Many of them may already be known to you, but here we’re going to explore specific ways of earning real-value tokens there.

All of these games offer different gaming styles and earning rewards.

What are Play-to-Earn games?

You can start your exploration of Web3 games in our dedicated article. Here, we’ll expand this topic further, showing how various games offer ways to earn blockchain tokens, which then can be traded and exchanged on fiat money. Virtually all Web3 games can be described as Play-to-Earn (P2E for short), as they include interacting with in-game currencies and NFTs, which may have real-world trading value if the game is well-accepted by gaming communities.

Core mechanics of P2E

So, it can be said that Web3 games turn gameplay into a form of digital labor or even  investment by tying in‑game actions, like PvPs, PvEs, quests, and so on, to tokens and NFTs with real‑world value. See the scheme below for details.

Typical earning features for quests and PvP/PvE include:

As Web3 games ensure direct user ownership of their in-game assets, be it game currencies or character NFTs, they can freely trade them and often even use them in other games, as these assets are tied to blockchain, not a specific game.

All Web3 games have one crucial component: an RPC infrastructure. If you need it, too, sign up to GetBlock now and select the plan that suits you best.

Blockchain, tokens, and NFTs' role

As mentioned above, players have direct ownership of game assets, which are basically of two types:

What makes P2E Web3 games very distinct from traditional games, even those that also label themselves as P2E, is that earned assets are represented as fungible tokens or NFTs that live onchain, outside the game client. This means:

Combined with quests and battles, these mechanics create a spectrum of earning paths: from casual daily‑login players to hardcore grinders, all plugged into the same on‑chain economy. It means much more satisfaction and cool experiences compared to traditional Web2 games, where players usually cannot earn anything or must rely on centralized, controlled economies without free markets.

Best Play-to-Earn games in crypto

Let’s explore several top Web3 crypto games that pay real money to players.

1. Axie Infinity: Iconic P2E pioneer with Axies

Axie Infinity runs on Ethereum (with Ronin sidechain) and pioneered the P2E space with its Axie NFT creatures that battle in turn-based card combat. Players breed Axies with genetic traits, forming strategic teams, and the game features Origins mode with enhanced mechanics like Meta Morph and Part Evolution.

Source: Axie Infinity

Players earn AXS governance tokens from leaderboards and staking, plus SLP tokens from daily quests and battles.

High breeding costs and SLP inflation have created economic volatility, while guild structures can lock players into revenue-sharing agreements. Still, Axie remains the iconic P2E pioneer with deep strategic gameplay and a recovering ecosystem, which makes it one of the best Play-to-Earn games.

2. The Sandbox: Metaverse creator economy

The Sandbox operates on Ethereum and centers on voxel-based world building where players own LAND NFTs and transact with SAND tokens. User-generated games and experiences drive the earning model, with creators monetizing assets through the in-game marketplace and hosting events on their parcels.

Source: The Sandbox

Creators earn SAND by selling voxel assets, hosting experiences, and renting out LAND to other builders.

Monetization features are still rolling out, and LAND prices can be prohibitively high for newcomers. The Sandbox excels as a creative platform with strong community-driven content and expanding earning opportunities.

3. Decentraland: Virtual world ownership

Decentraland runs on Ethereum with its MANA token economy and parcel-based LAND ownership system that supports virtual events like concerts and branded experiences. The 3D metaverse emphasizes social and VR interactions, with 90,601 parcels available across its grid.

Source: Decentraland

Players earn through LAND appreciation, event ticket sales, and revenue-sharing from branded experiences hosted on their parcels.

High entry costs for prime LAND and lower player traffic compared to competitors limit accessibility. Decentraland remains a pioneering metaverse with strong governance and true digital real estate ownership.

4. Gods Unchained: Trading card mastery

Gods Unchained is a free-to-play tactical card battler on Ethereum and Immutable X, where every card becomes a tradable NFT through the forging system. Players use GODS tokens for crafting upgrades and governance voting while competing in ranked matches.

Source: Gods Unchained

Players earn GODS tokens through daily play-and-earn events (first 10 ranked games) based on rank and win rate, plus tournament rewards.​​

Reaching earning ranks requires grinding to Twilight Shadow (rank 7), and shiny cards boost earnings, creating pay-to-accelerate pressure. Gods Unchained delivers competitive TCG gameplay with genuine card ownership and skill-based rewards.​

5. Alien Worlds: Mining and governance

Alien Worlds runs across multiple blockchains (WAX, BSC, Ethereum) featuring TLM token mining on virtual planets using tool NFTs, with DAO voting for planetary governance. Players stake WAX for CPU time, which determines mining frequency and NFT drop chances.​​

Source: Alien Worlds

Miners earn TLM (Trilium) tokens by clicking land parcels, with yields influenced by tool stats and land multipliers.​​

Mining can feel repetitive with long cooldowns, and earnings heavily depend on tool investment and staked WAX for CPU. Alien Worlds offers accessible entry with multi-chain mining and democratic planetary governance.​​

6. Splinterlands: Strategy card battles

Splinterlands operates on Hive blockchain with SPS governance and DEC utility tokens, featuring spell and monster cards as tradable NFTs in ranked league battles. The game emphasizes strategic deck building with rental mechanics that let players monetize unused cards.

Source: Splinterlands

Players earn DEC from winning battles, daily/seasonal reward chests, and can generate SPS through airdrop holdings and staking.

DEC lost its soft-peg stability during high demand, and competitive play requires significant card investment or rental costs. Splinterlands thrives with an active rental economy and fast-paced strategic battles.

7. Walken: Move-to-Earn fitness

Walken is a Solana-based move-to-earn fitness app combining GPS-tracked walking with NFT CAThlete characters that battle using accumulated GEMs from daily steps. Players upgrade CAThletes through leveling systems and wearable NFT items that boost battle stats.

Source: Walken/NFT Tech

Walking generates GEMs that fuel battles, which reward WLKN tokens tradable on DEXs or usable in the in-app marketplace.

Earnings require consistent daily activity and competitive CAThlete stats, with withdrawal minimums (20 WLKN) and NFT ownership prerequisites. Walken successfully gamifies fitness with accessible move-to-earn mechanics and engaging character progression.

8. Honeyland: Casual bee strategy

Honeyland runs on Solana as a mobile-first free-to-play game focusing on bee colony management, harvesting, and PvP raids with simplified onboarding for crypto newcomers. Players breed bees with inheritable traits and send them on harvesting missions or competitive hive raids.

Source: Honeyland

Players earn HXD tokens (Honey) through harvesting missions, hunting for shard-filled Honeypots, and winning PvP raids against other hives.

PvP raids create high-variance earnings and require strategic defense investment, potentially frustrating casual players. Honeyland excels with approachable gameplay loops and genuine strategic depth in colony management.

9. CryptoKitties: Kitty breeding and collection

CryptoKitties pioneered NFT gaming on Ethereum where players purchase, breed, and trade unique digital cats with genetic "cattributes" passed through breeding mechanics. Each kitty contains dominant and recessive genes determining visual traits and rarity tiers.

Source: CryptoKitties NFTs

Profits come from breeding rare trait combinations and selling them on marketplace, or renting high-value cats for breeding fees (siring).

Breeding costs increase with each kitty's breed count (max seven), and market saturation has reduced profitability since peak hype. CryptoKitties remains the foundational NFT collectible with charming genetics gameplay.

10. Crypto Dragons: Dragon battles

Crypto Dragons runs on Realis Network featuring merge mechanics across 156 dragon characters with quests, bosses, and immersive world progression through dragon evolution. The game uses LIS tokens as in-game currency and connects on-chain NFT dragons with mobile gameplay.

Source: CryptoDragons​

Players earn LIS coins both online and offline (up to 24 hours of idle time), with rewards from daily quests, capsule openings, and NFT dragon trading.​​

Offline earnings cap after 24 hours, and progression relies heavily on merge-game grinding mechanics familiar from mobile games. Crypto Dragons bridges casual mobile gaming with accessible blockchain integration and regular content updates.

11. Forest Knight: Turn-based RPG

Forest Knight operates on Polygon blockchain set in the fantasy world of Eragoth, blending PvE adventure campaigns with PvP arena battles and hero team building. Players collect, upgrade, and merge NFT equipment while choosing from diverse hero classes with unique abilities.

Source: Forest Knights

KNIGHT tokens are earned from completing story missions, winning PvP battles, and can be used to purchase heroes, land, and special buildings.

Entry requires purchasing initial NFT assets or heroes, and competitive PvP demands significant hero investment and upgrades. Forest Knight delivers deep RPG mechanics with strategic combat and a player-driven economy.

12. League of Kingdoms: MMO strategy

League of Kingdoms runs on Ethereum, featuring kingdom building, alliance warfare, and epic battles with tradable LAND NFTs that generate passive income. The game uses dual tokens: LOKA for governance and marketplace purchases, DST for breeding Drago characters.

Source: League of Kingdoms

Players earn passive income from owned LAND parcels, plus LOKA and DST tokens through governance staking and Drago-related activities.

LAND NFTs require substantial upfront investment, creating barriers for free-to-play participants in the core earning loops. League of Kingdoms combines traditional MMO strategy with blockchain asset ownership and alliance-driven gameplay.

13. Skyweaver: Cross-platform trading cards

Skyweaver is a free-to-play browser and mobile TCG on Ethereum with 500+ eternal cards (never rotating out) featuring Discovery and Conquest competitive modes. Players build custom decks from six prisms (color combinations) with strategic unit placement and enchantment mechanics.

Source: Skyweaver

Competitive play rewards tradable Silver NFT cards via weekly leaderboards, while Conquest mode (win 3 matches) grants limited-edition Gold NFT cards.

Conquest requires win streaks without losses, creating high-skill barriers, and free players must grind extensively to compete with paying deck builders. Skyweaver delivers polished TCG gameplay with genuine card ownership and skill-based earning potential.

How Play-to-Earn games work technically

For those who want to dive deeper, now it’s time. Let’s explore specific schemes and earning loops showing how players usually participate in game economies to earn, and how DeFi apps may help in that.

Earning loops and game economies

P2E game economies typically employ dual-token models that separate utility from governance functions. The utility token handles in-game transactions, rewards, and breeding costs, while the governance token manages staking, voting, and long-term investment. To get governance tokens, users must actively participate in various game-related activities and contribute to the game development.

Marketplaces and liquidity providers

Generally, P2E earnings convert to real-world value through NFT marketplaces and DeFi protocols that provide liquidity and trading infrastructure. Major platforms like OpenSea and Magic Eden enable players to list earned NFTs for sale, converting digital assets into cryptocurrency. Players can also amplify earnings by providing liquidity on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or staking them in DeFi services.

Last, earned tokens can be swapped on DEXs for stablecoins (USDT, USDC) to lock in value, and then withdrawn to various P2P exchangers for fiat off-ramps.

Future of Play-to-Earn gaming

Play-to-Earn games offer a bunch of new experiences and possibilities for gamers, freeing them from the limits of traditional games, where they usually must pay to play, while all their game assets belong to the game itself and have no value behind them. In many games, especially MMOs, players buy and sell their items to each other, and often game developers try to prohibit this practice. In Web3 games, it’s not only allowed, but it’s one of the basic elements of the gameplay.

Still, the market of Play-to-Earn games is already very competitive. Many good titles, such as Blast Royale, were shut down after being unable to cope with emerging challenges. While the potential is still tremendous, it’s essential to come up with a fresh in-game economy idea and develop a truly immersive game to lure players into.

GetBlock is eager to help Web3 game developers build, maintain, and promote their virtual worlds, and for that, we offer the best Web3 infrastructure across 110+ blockchains - and much more! We offer help with marketing and funding for aspiring builders, connecting them with venture funds and promoting them on conference. If you have a fresh Web3 game idea, don’t waste time and schedule a meeting with us.